For years, wireless communications have struggled with limitations of audio/video/data transport and internet connectivity in both obstructed (indoor/outdoor) and line-of-site (LOS) deployments. A focus on antenna gain as well as circuitry solutions has proven to have significant limitations. Unresolved, non-optimized (leading edge) technologies have often given way to “bleeding edge” attempted resolutions. Unfortunately, all have fallen short of desirable goals.
While lower frequency radio waves benefit from an ‘earth hugging’ propagation advantage, higher frequencies do inherently benefit from (multi-) reflection/penetrating characteristics. However, with topographical changes (hills & valleys) and object obstructions (e.g., natural such as trees, and man-made such as buildings/walls) and with the resultant reflections, diffractions, refractions and scattering, maximum signal received may well be off-axis (non-direct path) and multi-path (partial) cancellation of signals results in null/weaker spots. Also, some antennas may benefit from having gain at one elevation angle (‘capturing’ signals of some pathways), while other antennas have greater gain at another elevation angle, each type being insufficient where the other does well. In addition, the radio wave can experience altered polarizations as they propagate, reflect, refract, diffract, and scatter. A very preferred (polarization) path may exist; however, insufficient capture of the signal can result if this preferred path is not utilized.